Best 17 Bikes & Frames for Ladies for the money

Juliana Roubion Carbon S Mountain Bike - Women's

For the third generation of Roubion, the savvy engineers and dedicated female riders at Juliana decided to go back to the drawing board, aiming to make the bike more confident while hauling at face-melting speeds and better suited for lift-accessed bike parks. Realizing the need for a more aggressive bike, Juliana redesigned the Roubion Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike with a reconfigured VPP suspension inspired by the Strega, longer 160-millimeter fork, slacker head tube angle with an adjustable flip-chip, and longer reach measurements for a roomier cockpit and better composure on scorching-fast descents.

One of the biggest changes to the third-gen Roubion lies in a longer, slacker geometry that pushes it deeper into the gravity end of the riding spectrum. However, this redesign doesn't significantly alter its all-around versatility, meaning it's still great for the rider that desires the monster truck plushness of a slack, long-travel rig while having fun on trail systems with big climbs and high-speed descents. To be specific, Juliana lengthened the reach by approximately 15 millimeters per size for a more confident, comfortable feel at higher speeds, plus a centimeter lower standover height for a better fit with shorter riders. The head tube angle drops from the previous generation's already slack 66 degrees to an even slacker 65.4 degrees in its highest setting, complete with a flip-chip that slackens it out even further to a bike park-friendly 65.1 degrees. These were numbers that you'd only see on a freeride or mini-DH bike just a few years ago, meaning you'll have tons of confidence bombing those technical descents littered with steep drop-offs and nasty rock sections.

Another significant change to the latest Roubion lies in a reconfigured VPP suspension platform. Instead of relying on upper-link driven design, the third generation Roubion enjoys the increased bump compliance and glued-to-the-trail traction you'll experience with a VPP suspension driven by a lower-link mounted shock that's inspired by the latest Nomad. This lower-link driven VPP suspension platform is something that's reserved exclusively for the Roubion and Strega, seeing the need for increased bump compliance, better support, and higher levels of traction for all-mountain, freeride, and downhill disciplines. To best match the increased performance capabilities of this lower-link driven VPP, Juliana spec'd a Super Deluxe shock for a more supple feel that tracks to the ground noticeably better and resists heating up on those scintillating descents over thousands of vertical feet.

The last major change implemented on the third-gen Roubion is the ability to clear massive 2.8-inch tires if you prefer the voluminous support of plus-sized tires. However, we'd recommend sticking with tires in the range of 2.4 to 2.6 inches, as we find the larger 2.8-inch tires hold back a bike as capable as the Roubion, seeing they squirm under hard cornering and have a tendency to pinch flat while riding at full blast over technical terrain. Juliana specs the Roubion with a 2.5-inch front Maxxis Minion DHF and slightly narrower 2.4-inch Maxxis Minion DHR in the rear for an optimal blend of rock-plowing traction, cornering support, and fast-rolling speed.

Lucky for all of us, one thing that hasn't changed is Juliana's carbon frames, which is a good thing if you're after the legendary strength and unwavering stiffness of their renowned carbon layups. This particular Roubion benefits from a Carbon C layup, which optimizes stiffness and strength, as well as reducing weight over cheaper alloy frames. The frame's impressive stiffness translates to precise handling when you're tossing it into a gnarlier rock gardens, as well as rapid acceleration the instant you place power to the pedals out of corners, up steep climbs, and from a dead stop.

One thing that hasn't changed for 2019 is Juliana's commitment to delivering an optimal fit and riding feel for female riders, thanks to a lighter shock tune that's developed exclusively for females, seeing they're on average 30 pounds lighter. There's an extra-small available for even the shortest of females, meaning you'll finally have a bike that's custom tailored to your shorter stature without having to ride a larger bike and make major compromises. What they haven't done is water down their dialed geometry with a swooping top tube, higher front end, and shorter reach like much of the competition, which only leads to major compromises in ride quality and handling when you're actually riding hard and fast on the trail.

Yeti Cycles ASR Beti Turq Mountain Bike Frame - 2017 - Women's

Don't be fooled by the cutsie naming convention, the 2017 Yeti Cycles ASR Beti Turq Mountain Bike Frame isn't the downgraded pink-and-shrink fare we're used to seeing in products targeting women. It features the same top-tier, hard-riding, trail shredding construction and geometry found in the ASR Turq, just with a lighter tune to better suit smaller riders. While we can go back and forth about the merits of gendering bikes by colorway, there's no arguing that the ASR Beti is a great option for lighter riders of all genders looking for a whip-fast XC ride that still holds a hint of that famed Yeti enduro aggression.

This ASR Beti also carries Yeti's new Turq designation, which represents the most advanced frame the company can make at any given time. For the ASR, this means a more precise carbon layup, carefully molded to reinforce key stress points along the frame without adding any unnecessary bulk. This results in a frameset that has strength where you need it, and much appreciated weight reductions where you don't. Weighing just a claimed4.28lb, this feathery frame shaves even more weight by choosing a single-pivot suspension system over the heftier Switch Infinity, giving it nearly limitless acceleration potential on smooth, serpentine climbs without compromising on its ability to take on root lattices and brake-rutted descents.

That's not to say that the ASR Beti gets timid when grueling climbs flow into jarring descents. It shines across abusive terrain and white-knuckle descents that would have other cross-country bikes quaking in their tires. The ASR Beti is built to pair with 27.5 or 29in wheels, depending on size, so the big (or bigger) hoops steamroll anything lying in their path, allowing you to ride over trail impediments with effortless composure. And because it's distinctly Yeti at heart, this frame proudly retains a gravity-friendly persona with a head tube angle of either 68 or 69 degrees, again depending on size. This more relaxed geometry won't chuck you over the bars like other cross-country bikes when the going gets steep, allowing you to confidently descend on only four inches of suspension where other riders opt for longer-travel bikes.

As with the ASR, the ASR Beti eschews Yeti's applauded Switch Infinity in favor of a significantly lighter single-pivot suspension. Not only does this design save a ton of weight for efficiency, but it also simplifies regular maintenance for riders and racers servicing their own bike. The exceptionally stiff high modulus carbon frame and swing arm complement the lightweight suspension platform, translating into uncompromising acceleration needed for tearing the competition to shreds.

Juliana Roubion Mountain Bike Frame - Women's

From challenging and unfamiliar enduro tracks to the flowy singletrack at your local trail network, the Roubion redefines expecations of what a 150mm travel bike can do. For this third generation of the bike, Juliana listened to the calls of their dedicated female riders and created a machine that's more composed at flat-out speeds across rugged terrain, but doesn't give up the versatility that's made the bike so successful and popular. The redesigned Roubion Mountain Bike Frame sees a reconfigured VPP suspension inspired by the Strega, a longer travel 160mm fork, a slacker head tube angle with an adjustable flip-chip, and a longer reach measurement for a roomy cockpit that inspires confidence on steep, technical descents. This particular Roubion features an aluminum frame for dependable strength at an affordable price.

The most noticeable change to the latest Roubion lies in a reconfigured VPP suspension platform. Instead of relying on the traditional upper-link driven design, the third generation Roubion enjoys the increased bump compliance and glued-to-the-trail traction you'll experience with a VPP suspension driven by a lower-link mounted shock that's inspired by the latest Strega. This lower-link driven VPP suspension platform is something that's reserved exclusively for the Roubion and Strega, seeing the need for increased bump compliance, better support, and higher levels of traction for all-mountain, enduro, and freeride disciplines. To best match the increased performance capabilities of this lower-link driven VPP, Juliana spec'd a RockShox Super Deluxe shock for a more supple feel that tracks to the ground noticeably better and resists heating up on those scintillating descents over thousands of vertical feet.

The next significant change to the third-gen Roubion lies in a longer, slacker geometry that pushes it deeper into the gravity end of the riding spectrum. However, this redesign doesn't significantly alter its all-around versatility, meaning it's still great for the rider that desires the monster-truck plushness of a slack, long-travel rig while having fun on trail systems with big climbs and blistering descents. To be specific, Juliana lengthened the reach by approximately 15 millimeters per size for a more confident, comfortable feel at higher speeds, plus a centimeter lower standover height for a better fit with shorter riders. The head tube angle drops from the previous generation's already slack 66 degrees to an even slacker 65.4 degrees in its highest setting, complete with a flip-chip that slackens it out even further to a bike park-friendly 65.1 degrees. These were numbers that you'd only see on a freeride or mini-DH bike just a few years ago, meaning you'll have tons of confidence bombing those technical descents littered with steep drop-offs and nasty rock sections.

The last major change implemented on the third-gen Roubion is the ability to clear massive 2.8-inch tires if you prefer the voluminous support of plus-sized tires. However, we'd recommend sticking with tires in the range of 2.4 to 2.6 inches, as we find the larger 2.8-inch tires hold back a bike as capable as the Roubion, seeing they squirm under hard cornering and have a tendency to pinch flat while riding at full blast over technical terrain.

Thankfully, one thing that didn't change for 2019 is Juliana's commitment to delivering an optimal fit and riding feel for female riders, thanks to a lighter shock tune that's developed exclusively for females, seeing they're on average 30 pounds lighter. There's also an extra-small frame size available for even the shortest of riders, meaning you'll finally have a bike that's custom tailored to your shorter stature without having to ride a larger bike and make major compromises. What they haven't done is water down their dialed geometry with a swooping top tube, higher front end, and shorter reach like much of the competition, which only leads to major compromises in ride quality and handling when you're actually riding hard and fast on the trail.

Juliana Roubion 2.1 Carbon C Mountain Bike Frame - 2018 - Women's

Harness aggression into flat-out speed on the mountain with the Roubion 2.1 Carbon C Mountain Bike Frame. Purposely designed for aggressive styles of all-mountain riding and professional enduro racing, the Roubion demolishes chunky rock lines and rips alpine descents with unflappable composure. 150 millimeters of VPP travel smooths out the roughest terrain without flinching, making it an unstoppable force for all-mountain and enduro disciplines where larger rock gardens, steep descents, and bigger hits pose a significant challenge. Seeing that Juliana tailors their bikes for the needs of female rippers, you'll find the Roubion's tuned specifically for lighter riders with its female-specific shock tune. This makes it all the more sensitive when you're pedaling over roots and rocks standing in your way.

The second-gen Roubion is longer, slacker, and more aggressive than the predecessor, meaning it's far more stable and confident charging at higher speeds. This aggressive geometry makes the Roubion well suited for conquering demanding alpine terrain and rocky descents where short-travel bikes would be overwhelmed. The 66-degree head tube angle provides stability when you're opening it up at higher speeds and dropping into steep, rocky descents. The longer reach provides a roomy cockpit, so you're never cramped or uncomfortable riding the Roubion for long distances. Furthermore, the snappy 17-inch chainstays keep it quick turning and agile around tight switchbacks and sweeping berms.

This particular version of the Roubion gets Juliana's Carbon C frame, which provides high levels of stiffness and strength, transferring every pedal stroke into forward momentum. It's also incredibly tough, withstanding the regular thrashings you'll be subjecting this aggressive bike to. Internal cable routing cleans up its overall aesthetic while protecting cables from muck and trail grime. Another subtle, yet important feature is the threaded bottom bracket, which prevents the annoying creaks you're bound to encounter with a press fit bottom bracket.

The big story with the Roubion is the VPP suspension, which gets a revised architecture of the linkages for its third iteration. The third version of VPP attaches the upper linkage to the top tube, making it all the more stiff, as well as creating greater stand-over clearance for shorter riders. The bottom linkage is neatly tucked above the bottom bracket, protecting it from damaging rock strikes. These changes in VPP extend to the suspension's overall performance. For the third-gen VPP, you'll find it's more sensitive off-the-top when you're pedaling over rocks and roots. It's also more supportive through the mid-stroke, making it track consistently without the old version's tendency to wallow in the mid-stroke. As always, you'll find the VPP suspension ramps up considerably hard at end-stroke, preventing it from bottoming out harshly on bigger hits.

Juliana Strega Carbon C XE Mountain Bike - 2018 - Women's

We're not one to judge a book by its cover, but we are here to tell you the Juliana Strega Carbon C XE Complete Mountain Bike does actually ride as good as it looks. All it wants to do is have you pilot it through the biggest lines at the park or take it out for that backcountry epic you've planned for months. Named after the Italian word for witch, the Strega will have your riding partners green with envy at first glance, and it'll have you spellbound with its aggression on the trails.

Officially, the 170mm Strega is officially branded for women; but, in our experience, the bike is really for any demanding rider desiring a long-travel machine to progress their skills across jumps, sketchy steeps, and technical alpine terrain. If getting butterflies in your stomach when you are about to drop in on a weekend shuttle run or playing rock-paper-scissors on the lift to see who goes first (and always cheating to ensure you win) is what you live for, then you've met your match.

One of the first things you'll notice with the Strega is its reconfigured VPP suspension, which is driven by a lower-link mounted shock that marks a radical departure from the likes of the Roubion, Furtado, and Joplin. This shock location takes cues from the Santa Cruz V10, which is renowned as a World Cup DH weapon of the Syndicate. Translated to the Strega, the lower shock placement makes it feel more linear and supple throughout its stroke, allowing it to never be phased over the roughest terrain and provide a bottomless feel like that of a good DH bike. Juliana does take the extra step of employing a custom shock tune designed for lighter riders, meaning it'll be more active and not as harsh.

Geometry wise, the numbers have the Strega at a black diamond inspiring 65-degree head tube angle in the high geometry setting making it the slackest women-specific bike on the market. Not too long ago this was in the realm of DH only; however, realizing that many female riders desire a long-travel bike that can actually pedal uphill, the designers at Juliana engineered it with a pedal-friendly 74.5-degree seat tube angle (again, in the higher geometry setting). This allows you to power up steep climbs and string together sections of trails across the map, especially with the superb gear range of the Shimano drivetrain and e13 9-46t cassette.

Juliana lets you choose your own adventure and engineered the Strega with a flip-chip on the linkage that changes the bike's geometry from its burly trail rated 65-degree head tube angle to a downhill-dedicated 64.6 degrees, as well as lowering the bottom bracket and slightly elongating the wheelbase for rock-solid high speed stability. We really like the special fender that blocks detritus from reaching the shock. Juliana engineers clearly ride, and they spec smart details that show it. For example, the custom shuttle guard, which reduces the risk of your Carbon C frame getting damaged from banging around on truck tailgates or being tossed about by overzealous lift operators.

Speaking of its Carbon C frame, the Strega Carbon C XE is slightly heavier than the Carbon CC frame, but doesn't sacrifice any of the strength or stiffness that's made Juliana frames legendary. Many of us will gladly save the cash and buy lift tickets for the season or upgrade parts down the road. Juliana achieves this fine-tuned balance of stout construction and weight by using a slightly heavier and less expensive carbon fiber in the lay-up of its Carbon C frames. And seeing it's custom built for hard-changing shorter riders, a low standover heights (as low as 27.7 inches for the XS frame) and size-specific droppers make the most of the bike's slack and aggressive geometry without compromising fit.

Juliana Furtado Carbon 27.5 S Mountain Bike - Women's

Focusing on twitchy control and nimble handling over the brute strength of a long-travel enduro beast, the Juliana Furtado Carbon 27.5 S Complete Mountain Bike strikes that perfect balance for a lot of trail riders. The Furtado boasts 130-millimeters of responsive VPP travel that craves fast and flowing trails with massive berms, tight switchbacks, and long climbs to the top of the forest. It retains the dialed geometry inspired by the iconic Santa Cruz 5010, but the shock is tuned specifically for the needs of lighter female riders for a more sensitive feel when you're pedaling over rocks and roots.

The little sister to Juliana's enduro-bred Roubion, the Furtado emphasizes surgical precision, especially on tighter trails where trees and rocks pose clearance issues. That being said, this bike doesn't sacrifice much in the way of descending composure versus the Roubion, thanks to a reinvigorated geometry that's longer, slacker, and low-slung. The 67-degree head tube angle keeps you confident and composed when you're dropping into steep descents littered with rocks and sudden drops. Plus, it retains one of the lowest bottom brackets in Juliana's line at a mere 13.1 inches, keeping you glued to the trail when you're charging at high speeds and railing around corners. Another notable geometry number, the 16.7-inch chainstays are shorter than your average trail bike, making it quick to change direction around corners.

It's loaded with 130-millimeters of travel (just a tick over five inches) of VPP suspension, which balances responsive pedaling with bump-smoothing compliance over rock gardens and forest roots. Surprisingly, the engineers at Juliana made this 130-millimeters of VPP travel feel a bit deeper than the numbers suggest, making it suitable for conquering all but the most technical of trails. And because Juliana gives it a custom shock tune for lighter female riders, you'll find its more sensitive and responsive than a shock designed for heavier male riders.

This particular version of Juliana's VPP suspension recently underwent a subtle redesign in the top suspension linkage, now attaching it to the top tube for greater stiffness and extra stand-over clearance for shorter riders. The lower linkage is neatly tucked above the bottom bracket, protecting it from flinging rocks and trail debris. As always with VPP, you'll find it strikes a nice balance between pedaling efficiency on the climb and rock-smoothing plushness on the descent, making it complementary to the Furtado's balanced geometry.

Juliana's Carbon C frame makes the Furtado impressively stiff, meaning rider energy is better directed into forward motion with every turn of the cranks. This particular S build kit comes with a Fox 34 Float Performance fork, which provides stiff tracking and precise handling with its 34-millimeter stanchions and 130-millimeters of plush travel. It's finished off with the SRAM Eagle GX drivetrain, which gives you a massive range of usable gears without having to deal with a pesky front derailleur. Moreover, it's outfitted with size-specific dropper posts, so you can get the most out of every trail ride.

Juliana Strega Carbon S Mountain Bike - Women's

In Italian, Strega means witch, and we feel like Juliana picked a good name for this bike as your riding game will certainly feel as if you conjured up some spells because you'll be taming technical lines like never before. Juliana unabashedly states that it built this bike to progress the modern female freerider and if you're looking for a wicked good time on aggressive trails and in the bike park, the Strega Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike packs the slack geometry and efficient, yet plush VPP suspension travel needed to up your game. Built up with a custom curated build kit that is as big on value as it is on performance, you end up with a very capable bike that rides as good as it looks.

The big-hit Strega is easily the most aggressive women-specific freeride bike we've come across. It's incredibly slack head tube angle is adjustable with a simple re-position of the flip-chip on the linkage, so you can customize the ride from a steeper, all-mountain 65-degrees, to an almost DH World Cup-worthy, slack 64.5 degrees. The DH setting also drops the bottom bracket and lengthens the wheelbase, offering composure and confidence at speed yet remaining agile enough to still be fun on tamer trails. Regardless of setting, the steep 74.1 to 74.5-degree seat tube angle lets this bike pedal well up sheer terrain. It places your weight forward, encouraging you to attempt steep, ledgy trails without having to resort to extreme Body-English as your power is right over the pedals.

The Strega's VPP suspension design takes cues from the Santa Cruz V10 and its brother, the Nomad, with its lower link pivot location. Nestled in the lower link is the RockShox Super Deluxe R shock, with nearly 7in of suspension, positioned in a way to keep the bike's center of gravity as low as possible for berm carving goodness and stability. No detail goes unnoticed with the Juliana team, and the shock even has its own fender shielding it from errant trail debris and mud.

The shock location also creates the most linear VPP platform in the Juliana line-up, providing a consistent feel throughout the shock's stroke and an off the top sensitivity that rivals some DH bikes. A shorter eye-to-eye length relative to the stroke, afforded by the use of the metric shock standard, gains increased bushing overlap for a smoother stroke and more rear-end stiffness for a point and shoot riding style that still allows room for a full-size water bottle to sit on inside the downtube. The shock also receives a custom tune for lighter—yet no less heavy-hitting—riders.

SRAM's GX drivetrain matches the value focus on offer from the Strega Carbon C frame, with a super wide-range cassette capable of taming any gradient climb while offering enough top-end to never run out of gears. A 170mm FOX Float 36 fork guides the bike with its beefy stanchions and simply refuses to deflect off of its line. The over-sized party continues upstairs with the Race Face 35mm Aeffect R bars and stem. Other touch points include Juliana's own anatomic saddle and slim grips, also selected with the female rider in mind.

The Strega Carbon C uses Juliana's second-tier carbon, which boasts identical construction to the higher grade CC carbon but uses a different modulus that adds a tiny bit of weight to save big on cash. The method remains the same, with unidirectional carbon plies wrapping between tubes, adding strength and long-term durability. An inner bladder applies outward pressure against the mold while the carbon cures to reduce resin pooling and virtually eliminate imperfections. This results in a frame that is so tough, Juliana backs it with a lifetime frame and bearing warranty.

Juliana Strega Carbon CC X01 Mountain Bike - 2018 - Women's

A mere glimpse of the spellbinding lines, alluring paint scheme, and gravity-inspired shock configuration of the Juliana Strega Carbon CC XO1 Complete Mountain Bike conjures up daydreams of flying downhill at high rates of speed, sending intimidating freeride lines, and conquering hour-long descents in epic alpine terrain. Fittingly named from the Italian word for witch, the Strega mesmerizes fellow riders and onlookers with its drop-dead gorgeous aesthetics paired with aggressive geometry, smooth suspension feel, and exceptional Carbon CC frame.

Creating a long-travel bike without equal in the women's market, Juliana tossed preconceived notions aside of what ladies desire in an aggressive mountain bike in designing the Strega. Packing 170 millimeters of VPP travel, the Strega is purely intended for the demanding female rider seeking a long-travel bike to keep up with their progressing skills across big hits, scary steeps, and technical alpine terrain. Ultimately, it's the type of bike for those pouring their heart and soul into every ride, whether it's weekend shuttle runs on downhill-dedicated trails or self-propelled adventures deep into high-alpine terrain.

The first thing you'll notice with the Strega lies within its reconfigured VPP suspension, driven by a lower-link mounted shock that's radically different than the likes of Roubion, Furtado, and Joplin. This shock location takes cues directly from the Santa Cruz V10, which is renowned on the professional downhill circuit for numerous victories against the fastest riders in the world. Translated to the Strega, the lower shock placement makes it feel more consistent and supple throughout its stroke, allowing it to track smoothly across steep and rugged terrain, much like a dedicated downhill bike. Another thing to note, Juliana employs a custom shock tune that's designed for the lighter builds of female riders, meaning it'll feel more responsive and not overly harsh like male-specific shock tunes.

Delving into its geometry, the Strega inspires downhill confidence with a 65-degree head tube angle (in its higher geometry setting) making it the slackest women's bike on the market. A couple of years ago, this would limit the Strega to lift-accessed downhills and shuttle laps like most gravity sleds on the market. However, realizing that aggressive riders desire a long-travel bike that can actually pedal uphill, the designers at Juliana engineered it with a pedal-friendly 74.5-degree seat tube angle (high geometry setting). This means you'll be able to power up steep climbs and conquer long swaths of trail, especially with the 500% gear range provided by its XO1 12-speed drivetrain.

Seeing that mountain bikes are best when they're customized to your personal style, Juliana engineered the Strega with a flip-chip on the linkage that changes the bike's geometry from its gravity-friendly 65-degree head tube angle to a strict downhill-dedicated 64.6 degrees, as well as lowering the bottom bracket and slightly elongating the wheelbase for greater composure at white-knuckle speeds. Another sweet detail, the reconfigured shock includes a special fender that blocks flinging rocks and kicked-up mud from clogging it up. Juliana didn't stop there with the obsession to detail, giving the Strega a custom shuttle guard, so your the Carbon CC frame doesn't get damaged from banging around on truck tailgates.

Speaking of the Carbon CC frame, the Strega Carbon CC XO1 shaves a significant deal of weight from the cheaper Carbon C frame. Juliana achieves this by using a lighter, stronger, and more expensive carbon lay-up, all without sacrificing one bit of strength or stiffness you've come to love from Juliana carbon frames. We don't have any real figures on hand for the weight savings, but a typical Juliana Carbon CC frame weighs about nine ounces less than a Carbon C counterpart. And seeing it's custom built for hard-charging ladies, low standover heights (as low as 27.7 inches for the XS frame) and size-specific droppers squeeze every ounce of performance from the bike's aggressive geometry without compromising on fit.

Juliana Furtado 2.1 Carbon CC XX1 Eagle Mountain Bike - 2018 - Women's

The 2018 Juliana Furtado 2.1 Carbon CC XX1 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike features a longer, lower, and slacker profile than the original Furtado that pushes the boundaries of its trail bike categorization. This Furtado gets dressed up with SRAM's revolutionary XX1 Eagle one-by 12-speed drivetrain and huge accompanying gear range, a dropper post, and smooth-spinning Race Face ARC 27 wheels to take on almost any terrain.

SRAM’s XX1 Eagle drivetrain jumps ahead of industry tradition with its revolutionary 12-speed cassette. In a nutshell, Eagle lets you have the standard 10-42t 11-cog cassette you've grown to love in your old one-by 11-speed setup and introduces a massive 50t bailout cog that'll save your legs on steep, lung-crushing climbs that normally would have you pleading for an extra gear or two to magically fall from the sky.

The Furtado 2.1's geometry carries over the changes from 2017, with the most notable change apparent in the head and seat tubes. They're slacker and steeper, respectively, with the head tube coming in at 67 degrees for a similar feel to the previous Roubion model. As you can imagine, the change is noticeable when the tires hit dirt, completely blowing up our own expectations for how much terrain a "trail" bike is equipped to handle.

The steepened seat tube is equally impressive, though in a different way. The forward-oriented position of the saddle makes for better leverage on the pedals while slogging up climbs or cranking out speed on long stretches of singletrack. The Furtado 2.1 also has a longer reach, lower bottom bracket, 5mm more travel, increased dropper range, stubbier chainstays, and a wider rear axle. That pile of alterations means that it pedals harder, takes bigger bites out of terrain, and provides a wider dropper range for aggressively tackling double-digit grades on either side of zero. It should be noted that among these alterations, Juliana dropped the ability to add a front derailleur to this setup, but don’t worry—you probably won’t miss it, especially with XX1 Eagle’s huge gearing range.

The latest VPP suspension also sees some changes. The most immediately obvious is the extra 5mm of travel, but the tuning has also been revised. Where the old suspension curve described a deep "U," the new VPP's curve resembles a flattened check mark, with less dramatic ramping on either end of the travel arc. The results are that, during the initial stroke, VPP now boasts increased small bump compliance to keep the tires glued to the trail for more traction across lumpy trails and root lattices. It also maintains its predecessor's firm feel during accelerations while jockeying for position in a mass start or clearing a shelf at the crux of a climb. When paired with FOX's Evol air can, the ramp-up arc doesn't dramatically alter as the shock compresses, so the pedaling platform stays consistent across travel with less wallowing, bob, and bottoming out—even while the axle's path pushes rearward during big hits.

The Furtado 2.0 CC boasts the same top-end Carbon CC construction method and materials featured in sibling-company Santa Cruz's top-tier offerings. Beginning with superior materials allows the engineers to use less carbon in order to hit stiffness targets while claiming weight savings that hover just under the 300g mark. Both triangles are constructed as whole, monocoque pieces, which contributes to keeping weight low by allowing the carbon to wrap continuously through junctures and around joints. This eliminates the artificial weak points of bonded frames and actually requires less overall material in the process. While it's being cured, the frame is compacted from inside and out, a final step that virtually eliminates any excess material and resin pooling, resulting in more structural integrity and, of course, additional weight savings.

Juliana Roubion Carbon CC X01 Eagle Mountain Bike - Women's

With the updates to its brother the Bronson, its sister, the Roubion Carbon CC X01 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike gets a reboot too and sees the engineers at Juliana reaching into their playbooks and unleashing an all-mountain ripper of a bike dedicated to female riders, creating a more confident ride while hauling the mail on natural terrain or lift-accessed bike parks. And just like on the new Bronson, Juliana creates a more aggressive Roubion by reconfiguring its VPP suspension, inspired by the Strega, strapping a longer 160-millimeter fork on the front, slackening the head tube angle with an adjustable flip-chip, and adding in a longer reach for a roomier cockpit and better composure on steep, technical descents.

For this third-gen Roubion, it receives a longer, slacker geometry that's more at home on rowdy descents. Remarkably, it doesn't significantly alter its all-around versatility, so that slack, long-travel plushness comes in handy on the downhills without being a detriment on the climbs. Specifically, Juliana lengthened the reach by approximately 15 millimeters across all sizes for a more confident, controllable ride at eye-watering higher speeds, plus that centimeter lower standover height offers a better fit with smaller riders and allows for more dropper post travel. The head tube angle slackens from the previous generation's generously-slack 66-degrees to an even slacker 65.4-degrees in its highest setting, complete with a flip-chip that slackens it out even further to a near DH bike friendly 65.1-degrees. These were numbers usually reserved for freeride or mini-DH bikes just a few years ago, so you can guess what this offers while bombing down technical descents full of steep drop-offs and nasty rock sections.

The other significant change to the latest Roubion lies in a reconfigured VPP suspension platform. Instead of relying on the previous upper-link driven design, the third-generation Roubion enjoys the increased bump compliance and glued-to-the-trail traction you'll experience with a VPP suspension driven by a lower-link mounted shock that's inspired by the V10 and Nomad. This lower-link driven VPP suspension platform is something that's reserved exclusively for the Roubion and Strega on the Juliana lineup as it provides increased bump compliance, better support, and higher levels of traction in all-mountain, freeride, and downhill disciplines. To best match the increased performance capabilities of this lower-link driven VPP, Juliana spec'd a Super Deluxe RCT shock for a super-supple feel that stays glued to the ground noticeably better and resists heating up on those rough descents that lose thousands of vertical feet.

The last major change implemented on the third-gen Roubion is the ability to clear massive 2.8-inch tires if you prefer the voluminous support of plus-sized tires. However, we'd recommend getting the 2.6-inch version that comes spec'd with what Juliana is calling the "new" plus as the internal width of the rims are greater and better support the tires. Larger 2.8-inch tires do provide more traction, there's no question about that, however, they can be squirmy under hard cornering, feel a little draggier on the climbs, and the tires have more of a tendency to pinch flat while riding at full blast over technical terrain since they shave material to save weight. Juliana specs this Roubion with a 2.5-inch front Maxxis Minion DHF and slightly narrower 2.4-inch Maxxis Minion DHR II in the rear for an optimal blend of traction over kitty-litter and loam, cornering support, and fast-rolling speed.

Thankfully, one thing that didn't change with the updates is the construction of Juliana's carbon frames, which is a good thing since its legendary strength and unwavering stiffness of their renowned carbon layups is known industry-wide. This particular Roubion benefits from a Carbon CC layup, which offers excellent stiffness and strength, as well as reducing weight to the tune of about half a pound over the Carbon C frames. The frame's impressive stiffness translates to telepathic handling when at speed over demanding terrain, as well as quick accelerations when stepping on the pedals out of corners and up steep climbs.

Of course, Juliana's commitment to delivering an optimal fit and riding feel for female riders continues too, and it extends to a lighter shock tune that's developed with female riders in mind, as they're on average 30 pounds lighter. There's an extra-small size available for even the smallest-stature females, meaning you'll finally have a bike that's custom tailored to your vertical disposition. Saddle and grip touch points also cater to the female anatomy so you can ride in comfort when you're going hard and fast on the trail.

Juliana Furtado Carbon 27.5+ S Mountain Bike - Women's

The Furtado line from Juliana has created high expectations that resonate across the industry, and the Furtado Carbon 27.5+ S Complete Mountain Bike is no exception thanks to this year’s redesign which gives it a slacker, more versatile geometry than ever before. Featuring a playful feel that flicks around tight corners, maximizes efficiency while you pedal up rock-littered steeps, and appreciates a speedy, energetic descent, this bike redefines what it means to be called a trail bike. The Furtado makes a wider range of terrain accessible to you, with a low-slung geometry that feels more stable at high speeds without losing the agility, efficiency, and nimble handling that made its predecessors able to successfully replace a garage full of bikes with different applications. This version also features 27.5+ tires, which enhance traction as you climb and add cushion for harder landings as you cruise over drops and jumps on the way back down.

As has been the trend with previous Furtado redesigns, the latest model leads with a slacker head tube angle, down from 67 degrees to 66.5 in its high setting and 66.2 in its low setting. The high and low settings owe their presence to a significant change out back, where Juliana’s flip-chip technology lets you tweak the shock attachment to tune the bike’s geometry for the terrain and riding style at hand. Feeling more of an aggressive, downhill vibe—maybe even with some lift assistance? Go low to send it with the confidence of that extra stability underfoot. Planning on a full day of pedaling? Go high to enjoy a front end less prone to wandering on climbs.

Not only does the flip-chip allow you to ride in a more slacked-out position if you so choose, but it also gives you ample clearance to run wider tires—up to 2.8in. Juliana outfits this particular Furtado with 2.6in tires, which deliver all the traction and bump-smoothing benefits of a traditional 2.8in tire, but without feeling overly vague or excessively heavy. This 2.6in tire gives confidence to monster truck across the rockiest stretches of trail but without worrying about the tire squirming under hard braking and cornering like a larger 2.8in tire.

The slightly longer reach is another major update to this generation’s Furtado. It may be a touch more than you’re used to on a trail bike, but it provides a roomier cockpit for plenty of knee clearance even when you’re shifting your weight toward your bars for those extra steep climbs. This alignment increases composure at the higher speeds you'll be pushing for, and the seat tube is a full degree steeper to keep you in an optimal pedaling position whether you're climbing for thousands of vertical feet or muscling up a short, punchy climbs with rocks and roots standing in your way. The longer reach and slacker head tube are also offset by a short stem, which keeps handling snappy even while you reap the benefits of more stable confidence.

Despite the changes, the new Furtado retains the high degree of pedaling efficiency and bottom-out resistance its predecessors featured courtesy of its VPP suspension. This VPP platform neatly tucks the lower link above the bottom bracket to protect it from rock strikes and damage from flinging trail debris. The upper portion remains attached to the top tube with a new stiffer box-section upper link. While other DH-oriented frames in the Juliana line have moved to a lower-link mounted shock, the Furtado retains its upper link-mounted shock to minimize the risk of bottoming out even with its reduced travel. That being said, it's spec'd with a FOX DPX2 Float Performance shock for a supple feel with improved traction while pedaling over bumpy trail sections, as well as greater resistance to heating up for more consistency on those long descents. Juliana tuned the shock specifically for lighter, female riders, so this bike complements your riding style in a manner that maximizes sensitivity and response without sacrificing power.

One thing that hasn't changed is Juliana's carbon manufacturing. This particular frame benefits from the resounding stiffness and strength you've come to love from the Northern California brand's Carbon C layup. This high degree of stiffness translates to lightning-quick acceleration when you're powering out of a corner or hammering up a steep, punchy climb on the trail, as well as allows you to hold your line over rugged stretches of trail. Additionally, you'll find the Carbon C frame pairs nicely with SRAM's GX Eagle group, which provides you with the range needed for steep, extensive climbs as well as lets you find your max speed more efficiently. The frame is backed by an amazing lifetime warranty, so you'll have peace of mind for riding hard and fast out on the trail.

Yeti Cycles Beti SB5 Carbon GX Eagle Mountain Bike - 2018 - Women's

The Yeti Beti SB5 Carbon GX Eagle Complete Mountain Bike's frame is identical to the SB5 with the exception of a lighter shock tune and touch points (saddle, grips, and bar) better suited for smaller and lighter riders. This bike is just as eager to hit up some hot laps after work as it is tackling that multi-day vacation to a mountain bike mecca that you've been dying to ride. Yeti did a masterful job of curating the spec on this particular build. On the SB5 Beti Carbon GX Eagle Complete Mountain Bike, all of the parts are high-performing and durable enough to get you through multiple seasons of use while coming in at a price that brings the idea of traveling to those far away trailheads a reality. FOX suspension handles the bounce on both ends and the SRAM GX Eagle provides a gear for every occasion.

Both the SB5 and the Beti version have received industry acclaim as a bike that can tackle most any trail condition you will face but still comes in at an impressive weight and pedals exceptionaly well. We attribute the excellent suspension performance to Yeti's Switch Infinity slider. The system utilizes a patented translating pivot that automatically switches direction as the bike moves through its travel. This provides excellent anti-squat characteristics for superior pedaling performance and ideal suspension characteristics as it gets deeper into the travel. Inside are a pair of greased bushings that slide up and down on two Kashima coated rails co-developed with FOX Racing Shox. The fully sealed SWITCH INFINITY mechanism has external grease ports to lube the bushings and seals so maintenance is a piece of cake and you will be spending more time on the trail marveling the excellence of this 5 inches of travel instead of working on your bike or time spent in the shop.

We would be remiss if we didn't speak of the two varieties of carbon used on Yeti frames. The TURQ series is a higher modulus carbon that allows Yeti to build a strong and stiff, very durable frame while using less material, dropping roughly three-quarters of a pound. The carbon series as we have on this build, comes in just north of 6 pounds with shock, depending on size, which still puts it on the lighter end of the trail bike spectrum without sacrificing any strength or stiffness to the TURQ frames. Available in sizes ranging from XS-Large, the low geometry while give you total confidence to test your limits and the tapered head tube and boost spacing front and rear give you all the feedback and stiffness needed when corning hard or pushing the pace through the aspens, pines or whatever indigenous trees you find yourself flying through.

Yeti Cycles SB5 Beti Turq Mountain Bike Frame - 2017 - Women's

Yeti's flagship trail bike, the SB5, has long been coveted among the rip-anything crowd seeking a balanced rig that's lithe and light on the ups, yet well-composed and confident charging descents and rallying across technical terrain. Seeing its well-balanced demeanor, it was only a matter of time before female rippers wanted in on the trail fun. That's where the newest Yeti SB5 Beti Turq Mountain Bike Frame comes into play, fueling your riding addiction across everything from lung-busting climbs to wicked descents with uncompromising poise and lightweight agility for smaller riders.

Seeing it's origins come from the male-specific version of the SB5, you'll be pleased to find the SB5 Beti doesn't rely on a "shrink it and pink it" design philosophy. To really make this bike shine for females, Yeti gave the Fox Float Factory shock a custom tune that's more responsive for lighter riders. Another benefit to smaller riders is the leading stand-over height, which does away with awkward dismounts and unwieldy handling you've come to know from riding on male-specific trail bikes. Just to demonstrate how much stand-over there is, Yeti claims their XS frame can accommodate 4'11" tall riders, which is an impressive feat for the smallest of female riders.

Enjoying the feathery disposition and impressive stiffness of Turq carbon fiber construction, the SB5 Beti Turq Frame drops approximately 12.3 ounces from Yeti's traditional carbon. This lightweight carbon frame is evident the minute you step on the gas, surging forward with rocket-like acceleration. Yeti's engineers achieve this feat by using the highest quality carbon, which allows them to reduce the amount of material without sacrificing strength or stiffness. To protect this premium carbon, Yeti employs custom-molded down tube and chainstay protectors that fend off flinging rocks and chunky trail debris.

Not only is the SB5 Beti Turq impressively lightweight, but it's packing 5 inches of Yeti's famed Switch Infinity Suspension for a highly efficient pedaling platform with distinctive anti-squat characteristics and a surprisingly planted feel on the descent. Yeti achieves this balance through a patented translating pivot that switches its direction as the bike progresses deeper through its travel, hence its Switch Infinity namesake. And though it may seemed outgunned on paper with "only" five inches of travel, Switch Infinity makes the SB5 Beti far more capable than meets the eye, especially across stretches of trail where playfulness and pedaling efficiency take precedence over brute force and downhill destruction.

We'd be amiss to totally focus on the SB5 Beti's feathery Turq carbon fiber and exceptional Switch Infinity Suspension without mentioning its subtle design tweaks for 2017. The geometry is slightly slacker than before, with the head tube angle measuring 66.5 degrees for greater confidence and composure on the descent. To compensate for its slightly slacker head tube angle, the designers at Yeti made the seat tube angle a touch steeper at 73.7 degrees (size small) for efficient power placement when you're cranking uphill. Ultimately, this means you'll reap the benefits of a well-composed trail bike that climbs and descends better without giving up its zippy feel the minute you step on the gas.

Juliana Strega Carbon CC X01 Mountain Bike - 2018 - Women's

A mere glimpse of the spellbinding lines, alluring paint scheme, and gravity-inspired shock configuration of the Juliana Strega Carbon CC XO1 Complete Mountain Bike conjures up daydreams of flying downhill at high rates of speed, sending intimidating freeride lines, and conquering hour-long descents in epic alpine terrain. Fittingly named from the Italian word for witch, the Strega mesmerizes fellow riders and onlookers with its drop-dead gorgeous aesthetics paired with aggressive geometry, smooth suspension feel, and exceptional Carbon CC frame.

Creating a long-travel bike without equal in the women's market, Juliana tossed preconceived notions aside of what ladies desire in an aggressive mountain bike in designing the Strega. Packing 170 millimeters of VPP travel, the Strega is purely intended for the demanding female rider seeking a long-travel bike to keep up with their progressing skills across big hits, scary steeps, and technical alpine terrain. Ultimately, it's the type of bike for those pouring their heart and soul into every ride, whether it's weekend shuttle runs on downhill-dedicated trails or self-propelled adventures deep into high-alpine terrain.

The first thing you'll notice with the Strega lies within its reconfigured VPP suspension, driven by a lower-link mounted shock that's radically different than the likes of Roubion, Furtado, and Joplin. This shock location takes cues directly from the Santa Cruz V10, which is renowned on the professional downhill circuit for numerous victories against the fastest riders in the world. Translated to the Strega, the lower shock placement makes it feel more consistent and supple throughout its stroke, allowing it to track smoothly across steep and rugged terrain, much like a dedicated downhill bike. Another thing to note, Juliana employs a custom shock tune that's designed for the lighter builds of female riders, meaning it'll feel more responsive and not overly harsh like male-specific shock tunes.

Delving into its geometry, the Strega inspires downhill confidence with a 65-degree head tube angle (in its higher geometry setting) making it the slackest women's bike on the market. A couple of years ago, this would limit the Strega to lift-accessed downhills and shuttle laps like most gravity sleds on the market. However, realizing that aggressive riders desire a long-travel bike that can actually pedal uphill, the designers at Juliana engineered it with a pedal-friendly 74.5-degree seat tube angle (high geometry setting). This means you'll be able to power up steep climbs and conquer long swaths of trail, especially with the 500% gear range provided by its XO1 12-speed drivetrain.

Seeing that mountain bikes are best when they're customized to your personal style, Juliana engineered the Strega with a flip-chip on the linkage that changes the bike's geometry from its gravity-friendly 65-degree head tube angle to a strict downhill-dedicated 64.6 degrees, as well as lowering the bottom bracket and slightly elongating the wheelbase for greater composure at white-knuckle speeds. Another sweet detail, the reconfigured shock includes a special fender that blocks flinging rocks and kicked-up mud from clogging it up. Juliana didn't stop there with the obsession to detail, giving the Strega a custom shuttle guard, so your the Carbon CC frame doesn't get damaged from banging around on truck tailgates.

Speaking of the Carbon CC frame, the Strega Carbon CC XO1 shaves a significant deal of weight from the cheaper Carbon C frame. Juliana achieves this by using a lighter, stronger, and more expensive carbon lay-up, all without sacrificing one bit of strength or stiffness you've come to love from Juliana carbon frames. We don't have any real figures on hand for the weight savings, but a typical Juliana Carbon CC frame weighs about nine ounces less than a Carbon C counterpart. And seeing it's custom built for hard-charging ladies, low standover heights (as low as 27.7 inches for the XS frame) and size-specific droppers squeeze every ounce of performance from the bike's aggressive geometry without compromising on fit.

Juliana Strega Carbon C GX Eagle Complete Mountain Bike - 2018

The Italian word for witch is Strega and we feel Juliana certainly picked an apt name for this bike as your riding game will surely transform, feeling as if you conjured up some witchcraft as you achieve faster speeds and tackle technical lines like never before. Designed to help in the progression of the modern female freerider, if you're looking to upgrade your park and double black diamond trail game, the Strega Carbon C GX Eagle Complete Mountain Bike sports the slack geometry and efficient, yet plush VPP suspension travel for soaking up big hits without being a burden if the shuttles aren't running. This build gets a custom curated kit that balances value and performance with a ride so addictive, you'll keep coming back for more.

The big-hit Strega is easily the most aggressive women-specific freeride bike we've come across. It's incredibly slack head tube angle is adjustable with a simple re-position of the flip-chip on the linkage, so you can customize the ride from a steeper, all-mountain 65-degrees, to an almost DH World Cup-worthy, slack 64.5 degrees. The DH setting also drops the bottom bracket and lengthens the wheelbase, offering composure and confidence at speed yet remaining agile enough to still be fun on tamer trails. Regardless of setting, the steep 74.1 to 74.5-degree seat tube angle lets this bike pedal well up sheer terrain. It places your weight forward, encouraging you to attempt steep, ledgy trails without having to resort to extreme Body-English as your power is right over the pedals.

The Strega's VPP suspension design takes cues from the Santa Cruz V10 and its brother, the Nomad, with its lower link pivot location. Nestled in the lower link is the RockShox Super Deluxe R shock, with nearly 7in of suspension, positioned in a way to keep the bike's center of gravity as low as possible for berm carving goodness and stability. No detail goes unnoticed with the Juliana team, and the shock even has its own fender shielding it from errant trail debris and mud.

The shock location also creates the most linear VPP platform in the Juliana line-up, providing a consistent feel throughout the shock's stroke and an off the top sensitivity that rivals some DH bikes. A shorter eye-to-eye length relative to the stroke, afforded by the use of the metric shock standard, gains increased bushing overlap for a smoother stroke and more rear-end stiffness for a point and shoot riding style that still allows room for a full-size water bottle to sit on inside the downtube. The shock also receives a custom tune for lighter—yet no less heavy-hitting—riders.

SRAM's GX drivetrain matches the value focus on offer from the Strega Carbon C frame, with a super wide-range cassette capable of taming any gradient climb while offering enough top-end to never run out of gears. A 170mm RockShox Lyric fork guides the bike with its beefy stanchions and simply refuses to deflect off of its line. The over-sized party continues upstairs with the Race Face 35mm Aeffect R bars and stem. Other touch points include Juliana's own anatomic saddle and slim grips, also selected with the female rider in mind.

The Strega Carbon C uses Juliana's second-tier carbon, which boasts identical construction to the higher grade CC carbon but uses a different modulus that adds a tiny bit of weight to save big on cash. The method remains the same, with unidirectional carbon plies wrapping between tubes, adding strength and long-term durability. An inner bladder applies outward pressure against the mold while the carbon cures to reduce resin pooling and virtually eliminate imperfections. This results in a frame that is so tough, Juliana backs it with a lifetime frame and bearing warranty.

Juliana Strega Carbon R Mountain Bike - Women's

Aptly named after the Italian word for witch, the Juliana Strega Carbon R Complete Mountain Bike is a magical ride that flies down mountains without hesitation, and seems to be conjured from a cauldron mixed with rock gardens, rooty tree lines, gravity, carbon fiber, and maybe even an engineer's finger or toe for good measure. The Strega is not designed for just any woman who reaches for a mountain bike, it casts its spell on women who want to ride like a bat out of hell through the roughest terrain. The unwavering stability necessary for this kind of riding is achieved through an incredibly slack head tube angle, which is adjustable with the flip of a flip-chip on the linkage, so you can customize the ride from the High, enduro and gravity hungry 65-degree head tube angle, to the downhill centric 64.5 degrees, which drops the bottom bracket and elongates the wheelbase.

We all hear about long and low geometry in mountain bikes so often that we might think someone may have hexed us, but the Strega is so slacked out it's impossible not to comment on the length of the wheelbase. With just over a 47in wheelbase in size Medium (low geometry setting), the Strega is incredibly long and stable, and the slackest women's specific bike currently on the market. When the long wheelbase is paired with short chainstays for a responsive rear end, and a seat tube angle that's even steeper than the Roubion at 74.5-degrees, you've got a long-travel bike that is still happy to be pedaled up steep climbs, so you're not cursed to a life of nothing but shuttles and lift access riding.

The Strega's VPP suspension design takes some cues from the Santa Cruz V10 with it's lower link location, but dives into territory that hasn't been on the market before, and it's done in such an aesthetically pleasing way that we'll go out and say damn sexy. Nestled in the lower-link is the RockShox Super Deluxe RCT shock, with 170mm of suspension, centered within a tunnel of meticulously laid-up carbon fiber that arcs around it as if to worship it, capped with a fender in the back to shield it from mud and stray rubble.

The location of the shock at the lower link translates to a more linear shock rate with a quick responding and consistent ride that wants to track its way through rubble and roots. This shock placement marks an extreme departure from the suspensions of the Roubion, Furtado, and Joplin. The Super Deluxe R air shock was redesigned with increased bushing overlap for a smoother stroke to send it over chunder, and metric sizing to future-proof it, should you want to upgrade the rear suspension later down the road. The shock also received a women's specific shock tune for the Strega, since we tend to weigh an average of 30lbs less than the guys on the trails.

SRAM's NX drivetrain tags along with the Strega Carbon C frame, with a versatile cassette that can stand quite a bit of abuse, and a gear ratio that so large you can move from a 10-tooth small ring for laying down maximum power, all the way out to 42-tooth cog for working your way up precarious climbs. A 170mm RockShox Yari RC fork sits beneath the head tube, with 35mm stanchions that are stiff enough to track through the gnarliest trails. And, since all good things come in threes, the fork is capped with a 35mm Race Face stem and 35mm bar, for ultimate stiffness and control.

The Strega Carbon C uses Juliana's second-tier carbon, which hosts similar construction to their higher grade CC carbon, but uses a different grade carbon material that adds a mere 250-280g to the frame, and saves on money. The carbon is constructed using the same one-piece carbon layup technique as their CC level, with unidirectional carbon piles that wrap between tubes so that the frame can absorb impact more effectively, and a compressive bladder for applying outward pressure against the mold while carbon is curing to reduce resin pooling. The result is a bike that lures us in with its spellbinding aesthetics and captures our souls with the drive to fly down every mountain in site on a bike so light that we may confuse it for a magic broomstick.

Ridley Liz SL Ultegra Road Bike - Women's

The long-standing approach to trendy "women's-specific" frame design has centered around the myth that there's a consistent difference in torso to leg proportions across genders, leaving many women with average proportions wondering why they can't find a bike that fits. Ridley's taking a different approach with its 2017 Liz SL Ultegra Complete Road Bike, giving it mirror geometry to its renowned Fenix SL and adjusting the touch points to better accommodate riders who have wider hip structure and narrower shoulder. Across the size range, this results in shorter stems and cranks, narrower handlebars, and wider saddles compared to similarly sized Fenix SL builds. Inheriting the Fenix SL's jack-of-all-trades ability and kitted out with Shimano's precise and reliable Ultegra drivetrain, this Liz SL is prepared to usher you through all manner of cobbles, chipseal, and buttery smooth tarmac the road ahead presents.

The Liz SL is built from the same 30t and 24t high-modulus carbon fiber as the Fenix SL, a move that we can't applaud enough in an industry rife with examples of shrink, pink, and downgrade when it comes to women-specific fare. It's a mix that delivers a rare combinations of long-mile comfort and criterium-worthy stiffness in a lightweight package that soars when the road turns skyward.

Ridley maintains the plush ride in a light, stiff as a result of a few design choices. These include narrow, flat-section seat stays that absorb power-sucking road noise while maintaining lateral stiffness. The stays feed into a vertically compliant 27.2mm seatpost, and the flat, curved top tube serves as a leaf spring of sorts that works in conjunction with the seatstays and slimmed-down seatpost. The net result is a system-wide vibration damping and compliance for a more forgiving ride across everything from rural chip seal to the jarring stones of Belgium.

The top tube and down tube utilize a unique multi-hexagonal shape, which is undoubtedly partially responsible for the Liz SL's torsional rigidity and responsiveness. At the front, Ridley utilizes a tapered head tube that makes for increased stiffness while torqueing on the bars and exceptional handling and cornering capabilities while sweeping through descents or diving through the final turn before a finish sprint.

For an extra dose of stiffness, Ridley opts for a beefy PressFit BB86 shell. The wide bottom bracket shell anchors the oversized drive spine, solidly transferring every bit of power to the drivetrain without any watt-sucking lateral movement. While this frame isn't billed as specifically aerodynamic, it does boast an integrated fork crown for a smooth transition between the head tube and fork that at least offers the appearance of aerodynamics. You'll enjoy some drag-reduction benefits over frames without the integrated fork crown, and it just plain looks cleaner.

Please note that Ridley recommends a maximum rider weight of 209.5 lbs (95kg) for the Liz SL.